Meaningless
by AutumnsFey
Summary: After tragedy struck, they done everything to protect her, to shield her. The fatal mistake was not taking into account just what she wanted, and what kind of woman she had always been destined to become. And now she had returned, smiling on the damn albinos arm - after six years, staring at her surrounded by Mafiosi, her brothers efforts had been rendered meaningless. Fem!Tsuna.


**How ironic.**

How utterly ironic.

Only Reborn's masterfully stoic mask allowed him to successfully hide the smug laughter he felt welling up on the inside.

This … was just too damn precious.

And even more hilariously satisfying? He got to say _'I told you so'._

His two absurdly foolish students … had really well-earned this so richly deserved literal slap in their faces. Personally, he took sadistic delight in having a permanent front-row seat witnessing their devotedly beloved little sister deliver it to them mercilessly.

Really, fucking precious.

 **No one had seen it coming.**

But they all saw it occurring.

… though some would say that it had been a long time in the making. They would be right.

The moment that woman stepped gracefully into the ballroom on the gallant arm of that man, all attention was focused solely on the radiant pair. She was petite, a delicate little thing with snow-white skin and long golden curls cascading down her slim back. Her big sunset-coloured eyes were in perfect harmony with her deep-red pouty lips and the slight dusting of pink on her high cheeks. The strapless black-on-cream Tulle-Lace Vintage-Dress she wore accented her lovely bosom, waist and hips like only the fashion of the 50s could, gifting a mesmerizing view of her tantalizing cleavage. Long delicately-shaped legs emerged from beneath the Tulle-feathered full skirt that stopped just beneath her knees, ending sensually in elegant black high heels. He was just as enticing, with his tall slender stature and fair skin, the man was a sight to see, his windswept white hair artfully arranged and complimenting those cunning purple eyes and deceivingly fine features. Dressed in an immaculate white suit with a black dress shirt beneath and a lilac tie, he was ready for the catwalk. It was a view as breathtakingly beautiful as it was frighteningly foreboding. And at least the Gesso Heir was very well aware of just what kind of reactions and feelings their unexpected entrance had set aflame within the respectable gathering of Italy's esteemed Mafia Elite. His self-satisfaction was more than palpable.

Vongola as a whole had frozen, some in surprise, some in shock.

Those in the know of the Gesso heir's companion's identity? In sheer unadulterated terror.

For accompanying Byakuran Gesso was none other than Sawada Tsunami herself, the barely of age and thought-to-be-civilian-sister of not only Sawada Natsuhiko, Vongola's External Advisor and Head of the CEDEF, but also of the Vongola Decimo Sawada Ieyasu. And she appeared worryingly unperturbed by the openly displayed weapons and obviously dangerous as well as hostile Mafiosi and Mafiosa mingling in the elegant ballroom.

Indeed, instead of the fear that would be normal in view of this particular situation …

… she smiled calmly and serenely.

Interesting.

 **Reborn's black eyes glinted dangerously as he watched his pathetic students make complete fools of themselves**. Again. In front of the Family, Allies and potential Enemies alike.

The brothers were obviously absolutely horrified.

He did, actually, partially understand why.

… the girl's history was tragic, and sadly … this tragedy was … it was a burden they couldn't bear for her.

Sawada Tsunami had been thirteen when her sweet mother was coldly killed in front of her, mercilessly assassinated with a bullet between the eyes … merely because Sawada Nana had been married to the Young Lion of Vongola, Sawada Iemitsu, and had born him three children, the last eligible heirs to a Mafia Empire that had no equal. Tsuna herself, a girl barely on the crust of adolescence, had been paralysed in terror and quickly approaching shock, and was nearly killed in that assassination as well. She barely got away with a bullet wound near her heart that broke a rip which unfortunately punctured her lung. Only Reborn's quick execution of the assassin and his potent Sun Flames had saved the petite child's life. She had still been comatose for three weeks because her body simply hadn't taken well to shock and the unaccustomed Flame exposure, and finally woke up in an unfamiliar hospital room to unfamiliar people speaking a different language she barely could understand in a nation situated on a completely unfamiliar continent.

Alone and traumatized.

Cut off from all that could give her support.

Reborn had ripped his worthless students a majestic new one for their foolish and ultimately selfish actions, not matter how good their intentions seemed on the surface, but sadly, that was all he could do. To his chagrin it was indeed well within their rights to make this decision, especially seeing that as her remaining legal guardian Iemitsu wholeheartedly agreed with his sons' rash actions, deathly afraid to lose his beloved daughter as he had already lost his cherished wife.

And so, a traumatized thirteen years old had been left alone in the City of London, uprooted to England, with no way to contact her father and brothers, enrolled at the London City School and gifted with a replenishing, very generous trust-fund to pay her expenses excluding accommodations that had been taken care off well into her adult life.

In truth, it was the epitome of neglectful and careless idiocy and a plain as day justification of their guilty conscious.

Reborn had covertly kept tabs on her, not as naïve as her last family members in believing the unforeseen threat to be simply over and done with merely because she had been stealthily relocated in the chaos following her mother's death, and he was glad he had. Without those actions, he wouldn't knew that after graduating at eighteen a sparse year ago with an International Baccalaureate to show, she had been immediately accepted as a student at Oxford, as the little Hacker she was taking several courses in Computer Science and being well on her way to becoming one of the best Computer Specialists on the continent. Her life till now, despite the abject horror she had been forced to witness at that impressionable age, went on relatively well.

As well as the deep scars on her soul caused by grief and abandonment allowed it to be.

She was a fierce dainty thing.

Reborn sincerely respected her.

He know that despite their unfortunate resemblance to their father Ieyasu and Natsuhiko actually only wanted the best for their hurt baby sister, but cutting all contact with the labile girl who needed her family more than anything in that trying time and actually effectively orphaning her …

… despite, as admitted, relatively good intentions …

… was certainly not the way to go.

Even a freaking Civilian would have more sensibility than those two.

They wanted her safe from the Mafia that had scrupulously caught them in an inescapable net they hated with a burning passion, wanted her able to live the simple civilian life they desired but had been denied …

… it seemed to have been an unnecessary action.

Seeing Tsunami interact so easily and charmingly with cold-hearted killers as if she was at a teatime party in the Queens garden and exchanging cake recipes was not only strangely sobering but certainly declared more definitely than any words ever could that she was neither a simple-minded uninformed civilian girl nor actually unaware of the Mafia.

This ... made her siblings sacrifice meaningless.

And wasn't that just a kick in the nuts?

 **Natsu flinched as he saw his beautiful little sister smile and laugh at something that damned Gesso bastard had said, the albino's arms wrapped provocatively close and low around his baby sister's slender waist.**

And she didn't even squirm. She actually looked like she welcomed the brat's inappropriate touch.

… impossible. Tsu-chan was just too innocent to understand that kind of things …

… the albino bastard was taking shameless advantage of her kind, innocent, naïve nature!

Natsu felt hotly burning anger course violently through his veins at the displayed perverted defiling of his pure perfect sister. He – no, they! They needed to save her innocence, her untainted sweet heart!

Incensed, and with a furious glint in his eyes, Sawada Natsuhiko turned to his older brother with every intention to hold war council, his mouth already open to deliver a passionate speech worthy of the sincerely dedicated, awe-inspiring man that was their amazing father …

… only to blink perplexed at the blank space next to him.

Ieyasu had just been there. Just a minute ago. Where …?

A gurgle from the floor caught his attention.

Lying on the white marble ground, unconscious with white foam frothing at the mouth was his beloved elder brother, his valiant and selfless Ie-nii, obviously so overcome with heartfelt worry and choking fear for their helpless sister that his mind couldn't cope with the awful horror.

His brother was such a loving older sibling!

Natsu blinked away tears of worship as his body caught up with his mind and he did the only thing he could.

He flung himself at his older brother.

" Ie-nii!"

… that screech could have awakened even the dead.

 **Reborn … did not know those nutters'.**

If asked, he was only an unattached guest, simply invited for his stellar reputation.

He had absolutely no connection to those two miserable Mafioso rejects.

… nevertheless, poor Vongola … he would actually miss most of the Famiglia once those fools had run it into the grown with the insanity implemented in their genes.

… and Reborn denied any responsibility for that.

They were too much like their father for his wonderful teachings to take complete root.

Now if he had only been given the youngest Sawada …

Sighing at those two idiotic fools and banishing day dreams that never could be out of his mind, he let his Black Fedora shadow his face ominously and nudged Leon to crawl onto his hand. As if he would willingly subject himself to this pitiful drama any longer than he already had. His loyal companion turned from his lizard form into a green hammer and Reborn's eyes glinted malignly as he relished in the satisfying feeling of smashing both younger Sawada males into blessed unconsciousness.

… blessed for everyone but the two in question.

… and so what if Ieyasu wasn't conscious to begin with. It was a matter of principles.

Humming, he turned lightly away, Leon sitting re-transformed once again on the rim of his Fedora.

No one said anything to him.

Smirking, Reborn stalked away.

He had a little girl to catch up with.

And congratulate for graduating summa cum laude.

… well, for that and for driving her brothers insane.

It made his day.

 **Vongola's Family Members' knew better than to argue with Master Reborn, especially when the young masters' reflected their highly admired father's questionable personality to life-like for the cold man's aggravation to take;** it was a matter of survival.

Reborn may have been only allied with Vongola …

... but he was the Boss of their Bosses and it was his exhausting duty and disputable pleasure to reprimand and discipline them.

Most of them couldn't help but pity the brothers this time …

… even though they were thankful that the shame had been so quickly stopped.

Still, more than one of the men, especially those with younger siblings, could sympathise with the two young men.

They had a beautiful little sister for whose sake they had gone to very borderline-criminal lengths and forsaken their own boundaries and moralities more than once. Everyone in the Mafia knew of the hit that had killed the retired External Advisors wife; and just as many knew that the Sawadas' little sister, the last female Vongola Princess, had not only been critically injured and been on the verge of death, but that she had been traumatized witnessing her mother's apparent execution. The fools who dared to demean or comment about bringing her into HQ to secure the continuation of the line by using her like a breeding mare invoked the therefore unseen wrath of the Vongola Decimo and his External Advisor.

Those that threatened her were crippled for life … if they were left to live, that is, depending on the severity and sincerity of the unfulfilled threat.

Those that wanted her induced under Omerta and bound to serve Vongola as a freaking fail-safe became effectively pariah's, losing their reputation, money and home overnight only to be cast out from the Family and indefinitely banished from ever entering the Mafia again.

Yes, the Mafia learned quickly to not even think consciously of the youngest Sawada sibling.

As such, it was easy to understand their mind-numbing terror at seeing exactly that breathtaking young woman, too strongly resembling her brothers' in her colouring and untapped Flame Potential to be anyone else, enter the annual Vongola Christmas Ball unopposed and mockingly on the arm of none other than the Gesso heir.

… and it was just as easy to understand why the Famiglia gave a collective sigh of relief the moment Master Reborn decided to act and knocked their Bosses out.

… even the Guardians were thankful.

Where Sawada Tsunami was concerned ...

… the Mafia trembled before her protective unreasonable older brothers' wrath.

It seemed that one Byakuran Gesso hadn't gotten, or simply choose to ignore, the memo.

Pity.

 **The fact that Iemitsu didn't storm across the floor to resolutely defend his daughters obviously threatened and naturally still intact virginity was gratefully contributed to one Lal Mirch.**

And she felt so very good doing it.

… the gagged and bound Iemitsu wasn't amused.

Too bad, so sad.

… it wasn't as if anyone cared.

 **Smirking, Reborn pointedly tapped the white-suited muscular shoulder of the infamous Gesso Heir and spoke smoothly once the young man had turned halfway around to acknowledge him.**

" May I cut in?"

The fair-coloured young man merely gave him a creepy smile and looked to the breathtaking beauty in his arms. Reborn's experienced eyes naturally saw the barely affirmative incline of her head, golden curls shifting unnoticeably at the movement.

… why couldn't he have gotten the regal sibling to train into perfection? She would have been a treat to mould.

… some things were just so freaking wrong.

The couple separated carefully, gentle touches lingering longer than politely necessary. Reborn nearly felt bad for having been allowed a dance, the way the two young adults interacted was mesmerizing in their loving subtlety. He took the Gesso Heir's place gracefully, laying one slim long hand on her petite shoulder and the other daringly on her covertly supple hips.

She quirked a challenging refined eyebrow at the obvious lightness of his touch to which he barely nodded in her attentive lover's direction, whose half-closed eyes were possessively observing her every gracile move.

She sighed fondly.

The music started again, a slower waltz this time, and Reborn started to lead, Tsuna skilfully following as he gracefully twirled her over the floor.

" It's nice to see you again, Tsunami-chan", Reborn opened the conversation.

" Just as nice as seeing you again, Kyoufu-san", she lilted softly, dark mischief dancing in her unique eyes.

" Kyoufu-san?", he inquired bemused.

She let out a small giggle, waiting for the next Rise and Fall to end before she responded.

" Well, you are my saviour, swept up from the Underworld itself – I thought it fitting to name you like that; calling you my godfather seems … matching, somehow. Are you opposed to it?"

Reborn chuckled, adjusting his grip minimally to have a better hold as they turned.

Oh my, how the shy little girl had grown cheeky with age. But it was the kind of teasing cheek he could appreciate the humour of, a welcome change from the usual bootlickers and fucking cowards and their flat jokes that wasted his time.

Besides, being linked to the movie 'Godfather', as was her obvious intention, a classic even in the Underworld, was quite the nice compliment. Reborn was a true fan of the old classics, he enjoyed watching them with a good Taurasi Riservo from the year 2004 and a bite of ciabatta, bespread with tomatoes, basil and mozzarella, to go with the alcohol.

And the endearingly knowing glint in her eyes told him that she was aware of it, too.

" I find it quite charming, mia piccola principessa", Reborn chuckled, not bashful in the least but pleased.

" A charming title for my handsome saviour."

He laughed at her words, before reluctantly turning serious.

This was sweet, and he delighted in their exchange, but he wasn't only here to make nonsensical small talk and catch up on nonsensical phrases. There were a few important topics he had to inquire about, for her own as well as Vongola's sake.

" You speak about it quite calmingly", he noted, no censure in his low voice.

Her smile turned incredible sad.

" I … I spent nearly four years in therapy and still have my psychiatrist on speed dial. I'm not over it, and I don't think I ever will. But I also won't let the past devour my future … a future I have done a lot to achieve. Kaa-chan wouldn't want me to stop living", she blinked and looked up, a despondent vulnerability in her lovely gaze as she considered him nervously. " Does that make me an ungrateful daughter in your eyes – that I'm getting on with my life and try to be happy?"

Fall and Rise. Sway. It was a joy dancing with her.

" No", Reborn assured her quietly, a proud edge to the smirk he gifted her with. " It makes me truly proud of the wonderful woman you have become and glad that I'm allowed to know you. I'm sure you are making Nana very proud, too, because you are right. All she ever wanted was her children's happiness. She would certainly swoon seeing you on your lover's gallant arm, all temptingly beautiful and surprisingly successful. I'm sure it's making her day."

" … thank you", she whispered. " Thank you so much."

He just nodded understandingly.

" Is there a reason why you choose to give your brothers a literal heart attack?"

The solemn atmosphere between them lifted noticeably and he was immediately gifted with an innocent smile and beseeching big sunset-coloured eyes. She was good.

Very good.

" Did I do that?"

" You did."

" … how terrible."

Somehow, the dead-panned deliverance obliterated any possibility of sincerity.

He dipped her low and they stayed that way for the last few strokes of the violin. Slowly, he brought her back up, and as a new dance started, this one a bit faster, they quickly adjusted. Reborn had to compliment her, she was a superb dancer.

" Your honest contrition is overwhelming", he remarked in kind.

Tsuna rolled her eyes.

" My brothers", she started wholly unimpressed. " Are fools. Simple as that. They, like the joke that pretends to have fathered me – something I'm still very sceptical about and will demand undeniable verification of seeing as I am sure Mama had a completely understandable affair on the side which resulted in my conception, thank Kami", Reborn snorted amusedly, gleefully imaging Iemitsu's stricken face and hysterical wails once she actually demanded court-verified proof; everyone who ever tasted her Flame Potential and Resonance knew that she was the oafs daughter. " Seem to suffer under the ongoing delusion that they can control me. That they have the right to make life-changing decision for me and that I, the hapless helpless little sister I obviously am, should bow to their infallible wisdom and live the rest of my freaking life in a gilded cage of their choosing. Well, that train of insanity has thankfully passed me by, and they are just about to be run over by it."

Her derision was certainly palpable.

Yes, his students had royally fucked that relationship up.

… their only saving grace was that their sister obviously still loved them. He had no idea to which god they had sacrificed willing virgins to achieve this miracle, but obviously the crazy god had answered to their prayers; it wasn't in the least realistic but the only answer he had to her apparent forgiveness. She should be ready and set to cut all ties with them, not be this …

… well, this ready to simply give them a mere reality check.

He blinked as she blithely added, a poisonously sweet smile on her red lips: " They won't know what bite them in the ass."

…. something akin to pity for her brothers blossomed in his soul, but … nah, they deserved it. Even the most lacking man knew that hell had no fury like a woman scorned, and the fury of this scorned woman had been unhindered simmering for years, now finally ignited into a raging inferno burning akin to the flames of perdition. Besides, watching either Tsuna or Nana bring those two to heel with a few innocuously well-chosen words, cute pouty lips, big teary eyes and the occasional twisting of unruly ears had always been a delightful free entertainment and he had a permanent front-row seat.

… he may or may not also take sadistic pleasure knowing that the formidable Sawada women, alive and dead, had taken an undeniable and deep liking to him.

To their male family members consternation.

" Are you with Gesso to get back at your brothers?"

He hoped not. Otherwise, it could spell bloodshed if either side felt slighted. That would certainly become bloody messy.

… he would need to hide her away so she wouldn't be in the line of fire.

" No", Tsuna assured him sincerely, a new emotion flickering over her delicate face, something undeniable deep and warm. " I love Byakuran. The resulting … chaos … of our relationship is merely an enjoyable side effect."

She laughed delighted as he twirled her to the right, dipping her low.

" I met Bya-kun three years ago in London at the cinema premiere of The Avengers", she continued slightly breathless, her eyes shining as she remembered back. " Total Marvel junkie that I am, I was there with a very good friend and her idiot of a boyfriend. While the two lovebirds snogged themselves silly after the movie, I got into a heated discussion with Shoichi, Bya-kun's best friend. Shoichi is a hard-core Banner slash the Hulk-fan and I simply adore Tony Stark and Loki. Naturally, Bya-kun is a fervent fanboy of Loki, so we teamed up on poor Sho-kun to convert him. Alas, despite our best intentions, we failed in this most noble endeavour, but we still maintained contact after they returned to America and a long distant friendship was sparked which quickly turned into a relationship for that trickster and myself. When I was to start Oxford last year, Bya-kun had just finished as an undergraduate in America and decided to do his graduate work in Oxford, too. We moved in together, and it is wonderful. This is what I want, Reborn. I was head over heels for him then, and I still am today. I don't just love him, Kyoufu-san, I'm in love with that irresponsible loveable troublemaker."

He could see it.

He could see how her brilliant eyes lit up with warmth and adoration when she spoke about him, the true-felt fondness she held for him so obvious in her voice that his eyes involuntarily softened. She blushed when she spoke about meeting him and was ridiculously happy about living with him and the future that she saw laying ahead of them. Together.

Reborn couldn't have said it any better: She was head over heels in love.

And he was pleased about it. What did it matter that this certainly wasn't the picture-perfect simple civilian life her brothers had envisioned for her when they cut off all ties? Tsunami deserved her happy ending, and if that came in the unexpected shape of one Byakuran Gesso …

Reborn would just have to make sure that in the near future he had a little … talk with the creepy Mafiosi. The boy should be glad that he already gotten a few brownie points with the reputable Hitman in the beginning; no one could be completely unsuited to the Vongola Princess who made her laugh.

He really only wanted her happiness.

"But the side effects are certainly … lovely."

Reborn raised an eyebrow.

" Red and white truly do look quite fetching on my brothers' complexion, don't they?", she inquired sickeningly sweet, a wicked glint in her unique eyes.

He snorted.

" Rather devious, aren't you, little one."

She giggled.

They slowed as the dance came to an end and Reborn carefully released her, having noticed Tsunami's surprisingly impatient lover coming their way.

" Kyoufu-san", she spoke up and he refocused on her, perplexed to see a gentle smile on her delicate face. " Thank you for taking care of my family."

Shaking his head, he gave her a smirk just as Gesso reached them and wrapped his arms around her waist. That woman would always surprise him, of that he had no doubt. And if he would have indeed needed any more proof of the depth of their romantic feelings for each other, the way she simply moulded into her lover and looked up only to be met in a chaste kiss was enough.

Byakuran looked up and fixed his annoying stare on Reborn.

" Thank you, Arcobaleno, for saving the love of my life."

That was … unexpected.

Maybe it shouldn't have been.

He took the declaration of gratitude with a graceful nod, having accepted the unspoken words of favour should he ever need one. It was just the way the Mafia operated.

They looked certainly perfect together.

Now, if only the brain-dead males in her direct family could actually see this.

"Take care of her."

" Always and whole-heartedly", came the resolute respond.

Tipping his head in acknowledgement, he took Tsunami's hand and pressed a delicate kiss to the back of it. Reborn straightened up and was about to leave, when the same tiny fragile hand caught his black suit sleeve …

… and the girl who teasingly but fondly called him godfather kissed him softly on the left cheek.

He stood frozen and simply stared after her as she easily disappeared in the rowdy crowd, her amused lover dragged along.

Delightfully devious, indeed.

 **While Vongola ran around as if the end of the world was imminent in the weeks following their Christmas Ball …**

… Reborn leaned back, relaxed and amused.

Byakuran Gesso, for all that he may not have been Reborn's first or even second or third or fourth choice, had at least begun to prove himself worthy enough to capture not only the Vongola princess attention but her fragile heart. He obviously gave her stability, cared deeply for her, made her laugh and brought her the uncomplicated happiness which she so richly deserved.

Byakuran Gesso loved Sawada Tsunami.

As long as the boy continued like that, Reborn would hold back the harmful majority of the escalating craziness his self-proclaimed god-daughter's foolish older brothers and her idiot of a father tried to unleash upon a world that could never be ready for them.

Or their brand of insanity, really.

Not even the Mafia wanted to deal with that.

But if the boy broke his piccola principessa's heart …

… well, Reborn wasn't the World's Greatest Hitman for nothing.

And he knew all the really good places to hide bodies.

It was kind of his hobby.

 _~ The End~_


End file.
